On the night of January 18-19, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate one of their most revered holidays - the Baptism of the Lord, also called Theophany.

Rules for the treatment of baptismal water

WHEN TO COLLECT WATER?

So, if you are tormented by ailments, stock up on healing baptismal water. This water, collected on the night of January 18-19, from 0:10 to 1:30 or a little later, and also within a few days after the holiday, has been considered miraculous from time immemorial. At this time, "the sky opens" and a prayer addressed to God will be heard.

If you want to collect consecrated baptismal water after bathing, it is not necessary to come with canisters. A small bottle is enough. According to Christian canons, any water can be made holy if you add a little baptismal water to it - from a temple or from Jordan. Festive services will be held in all Orthodox churches on the night of 18 to 19. But it is not necessary to come on this particular day. Water becomes holy after a special prayer service. Access to containers with baptismal water is open in churches for several days.

Our grandparents used it for healing, cleansing, expelling evil spirits and bad thoughts, splashed 8 people's faces or in the corners of the house.

Want to check it out? It is not hard. Just try to do everything exactly according to the rules carefully stored in people's memory.

• I pray at the dawn of the coming day:
  make me healthy water!
• Stones accumulated over the years not for the future,
  you turn them into fine sand.
• Gallbladder and bladder
  to be cleansed by you.
• glands, lungs, liver, stomach,
  cleanse the ducts, pores, vessels.
• Oxygen was supplied to the brain
  rinse all capillaries with water!
• make my life healthy
  I pray for healing water in the morning.

AFTER THE FIRST STAR

On Christmas Eve, January 18, you can not eat anything until the first stars appear in the sky. Drink only clean water, try to spend the whole day quietly and calmly, without getting irritated, without entering into conflicts, clean and tidy the house. In the evening, after the first star, you can have dinner. Prepare glassware with lids, such as 3 liter jars or bottles. Sterilize them carefully.

After 0 hours 10 minutes, fill this vessel with water from a well, spring, or other clean source. You can also just from the tap. It is desirable to pass it through a cleaning filter, but this is not a prerequisite. Dial at least 3 liters and close the jars with lids.

It is better to store baptismal water in a dark, cool place. And if in the future, for some reason, you want to pour out this water, then in no case do not pour it into the toilet or into the sink.

Dilute with plain water and even then pour or water the plants (by the way, it has been noticed that undiluted baptismal water affects plants in different ways: some bloom, others, on the contrary, die. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and act prudently).

HOW TO TAKE A BATH?

• On this night, douse yourself with baptismal water three times or take a bath. Between 0:10 and 1:30, fill the tub with cold tap water. Cross the water and yourself three times, say a prayer and hit the chest with your right fist three times to cause the body to vibrate in harmony with the vibrations of the water.
• Then, without screaming or making noise, sit in the bath and plunge headlong three times, hitting your chest each time.
• Silently get out of the bath (if someone else from your household wants to bathe in baptismal water, fill the bath with new water).
• Do not dry off immediately, let the water soak into the skin. At this time, do a self-massage or vigorously tap your fingers all over your body from the top of your head to your heels. Then put on warm clothes, underwear, socks, everything is new and has already been washed and ironed. Drink herbal tea with honey.

IS YOUR WATER "BOILING"?

Does cold water scare you? Are you afraid of a cold? Then dilute the cold baptismal water with hot water to the temperature that you can withstand. Children and the elderly can take a warm bath not at night, but during the day.

While bathing, pay attention to how the water behaves in the bathroom. If, when immersed in it, the water “boils” or bubbles appear, it means that the purification process is very active, the evil eye is removed, and negative energy comes out.

How to bathe on Epiphany so as not to get sick

At Epiphany, both old and young bathe. But without special preparation, swimming for children and the elderly can be dangerous. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening by dousing with cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautions must be observed by everyone who decides to bathe at Baptism. Doctors warn against bathing at Epiphany for people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, or tuberculosis. Bathing at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole brings all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation to maximum stress and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow the following recommendations, how to bathe on baptism:

• you can swim in Epiphany only in the hole, where there is a special entrance to the water;
• never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
• alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before bathing; you should not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
• Take a blanket with you, as well as comfortable clothes for changing.

Epiphany is a holiday with history and rich traditions. But the main thing, of course, is not ritual, but the great meaning that it carries. The Orthodox holiday of the Baptism of the Lord is of great importance for believers, because this is the day when a person’s spiritual renewal takes place.

HOW LONG DO YOU STORE WATER?

Epiphany water stored in a glass container can be used for a year and even longer. This is a very strong energy water, so drinking it all the time is not recommended. But to take it as a medicine, if you are unwell, add it to the bath (from one teaspoon to one glass per bath), rinse your mouth, wash your face, sprinkle your face, eyes, the whole body - it is very useful.

Reminder: no need to wipe. To cleanse the dwelling, they sprinkle baptismal water in the corners of the rooms, and then pour a small part of the water into a glass vessel without closing the lid and leave it in the room.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions of celebrating the Epiphany or Epiphany. For example, it was customary to release doves at Epiphany - as a sign of Divine grace that descended on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Baptism are known according to legend.

In Russia, on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell calls for matins, pious believers kindled a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.

The Jordan began to be prepared a week before Epiphany: they cut through the wormwood on the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also sawn out of ice. Christmas tree branches decorated the "royal gates".
On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the consecration of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the holier it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that one cannot catch a cold in the consecrated water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Everyone drank holy water before eating. After eating, the girls hurried to the river - to wash in the "Jordanian water", "so that their faces were pink."

After Baptism, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when the priest plunges the cross into the water, all the evil spirit jumps out of fear, and then sits on the shore and waits for someone with dirty linen to appear. As soon as the linen is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women begin to wash, the more wickedness will freeze from Epiphany frosts.

Divination for Baptism

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happen at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsides for a moment, complete silence reigns and the heavens open. At this time, you can express your cherished desire, which will certainly come true.

There is another tradition at Baptism, which, however, is not approved by the church. On January 19, Christmas time ends - the period of fortune-telling in Russia. On Epiphany night, the girls tried to understand what awaits them in the future, whether they will get married, whether the year will be successful.

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Baptism. Many of them were connected with the economic activities of the peasants or predicted the weather. For example, folk signs for baptism read:

• If the weather is clear and cold on Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
• A full month for Epiphany - to the big spring spill.
• Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, the harvest for peas and berries.
• There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day for Epiphany - for crop failure.
• The wind will blow from the south to Epiphany - there will be a stormy summer.
• If it snows during the liturgy, especially when going to the water, then next year is expected to be fertile, and the bees will make many swarms.

When to baptism dogs barked a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot at Epiphany, there will be plenty of every beast and game. Chickens are not fed on Epiphany, so that gardens are not dug in the summer and seedlings are not spoiled.

The folk Russian calendar connects the Feast of Epiphany with frosts. Epiphany frosts: “Crack frost, don’t crack, but Vodokreschi passed.

On January 19 (January 6, old style), Christians celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, or Theophany, one of the most important holidays of Orthodoxy. On this day, the prophet John the Baptist, who is also called the Baptist, baptized the Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

The second name, Epiphany, was given to the holiday in memory of the miracle that happened during baptism - the Holy Spirit descended from heaven on Christ in the form of a dove. The main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water, the clergy wear white robes.

When and how is the Epiphany celebrated?

In the first centuries of Christianity, new converts were baptized on Epiphany (they were called catechumens), so this day was often called the “day of Enlightenment” - as a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the light of Christ. At the same time, a tradition arose to consecrate the waters in reservoirs on this day.

The faithful look forward to the Feast of the Epiphany, and when the Baptism of the Lord comes, they visit the church to remember the miraculous event that changed the world. The celebration of the Baptism of the Lord begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutia. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany, a strict fast must be observed:

• Lenten kutia, pancakes, oatmeal jelly were an obligatory dish of the festive dinner.
• Kutya, kolivo, eve - a ritual memorial dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey satiety or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.

folk traditions

• It was customary to release doves at Epiphany - as a sign of Divine grace that descended on Jesus Christ.
• In Russia, on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell calls for matins, pious believers kindled a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.
• The Jordan began to be prepared a week before Epiphany: they cut through the wormwood on the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also sawn out of ice. Christmas tree branches decorated the "royal gates".

On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the consecration of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the holier it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that one cannot catch a cold in the consecrated water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Everyone drank holy water before eating. After eating, the girls hurried to the river - to wash in the "Jordanian water", "so that their faces were pink."

After Baptism, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when the priest plunges the cross into the water, all the evil spirit jumps out of fear, and then sits on the shore and waits for someone with dirty linen to appear. As soon as the linen is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women begin to wash, the more evil spirits will freeze from Epiphany frosts.

• On this day, you can’t cry, just like on New Year’s - you can shed tears until the next holiday.
• At Baptism, you need to put up with loved ones, but in no case should you quarrel, scandalize and be offended.
• Also, you can not complain, gossip, slander, clean, wash, knit and sew. Any work these days is better to stop.
• In addition, after Baptism, one cannot guess, otherwise you will guess fate for the worse.

Water blessing ^

An important event of the Baptism of the Lord and Theophany is the blessing of water. On a river or on a lake, a cruciform polynya, called the Jordan, is cut in advance in the ice. With the onset of midnight, the priests bless the water in the polynya, and the faithful take a bath in the blessed water. People are not afraid of the cold, because bathing at Epiphany is a symbolic cleansing from sins, a spiritual rebirth.

It is believed that Christ the Savior in Baptism bestows (with water) the grace of "souls of bodies." The Baptism of the Lord in the matter of the redemption of the human race had a great saving ontological significance. Baptism in the Jordan exudes mortal remission of sins, enlightenment, light, renewal, healing, and, as it were, a new birth.

Holy Epiphany water: when it is holy

The main feature of the Epiphany service is the blessing of water. Water on the Epiphany is consecrated twice:

• On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma.
• And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy.
• By tradition, Epiphany water is kept for a year - until the next Epiphany holiday. They drink it on an empty stomach, reverently and with prayer.

When to collect baptismal water

If you decide to collect Epiphany water from the tap, do it in the time interval from 00:10 to 01:30 on the night of January 18-19. However, it is possible later - until 24:00 on January 19.

• It is better to collect Epiphany water after participating in a church service (in church) or prayer (at home);
• It is better to pour water into a special jug or flask bought in a church shop (not into a beer bottle).

What are the miraculous healing properties of baptismal water

In all springs consecrated in the Baptism of the Lord, the water becomes holy. It is believed, and this has many confirmations, that Epiphany holy water has miraculous and healing properties:

• Believers take it with them - Epiphany holy water has the ability not to deteriorate for a long time.
• Epiphany water is drunk throughout the year on an empty stomach, it is carefully kept as a shrine and diseases, both bodily and mental, are treated. It can be drunk with an illness on an empty stomach and washed to be healthy.
• You need to drink baptismal holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health.
• Holy baptismal water can be sprinkled on a dwelling in order to drive out evil spirits and bring the grace of God into the house.
• It is not at all necessary to take it in reserve, there should be a lot not of water, but of faith.

How to bathe on Epiphany ^

For believers, bathing at Baptism means communion with the special grace of the Lord, which he sends to all water on this day. It is also believed that water at Baptism brings health, both bodily and spiritual. At the same time, the church warns against attaching any magical meaning to this tradition.

Bathing rules for baptism

Ice-holes or Jordans, in which they bathe at Epiphany, are consecrated. There are no hard and fast rules for those wishing to plunge into Jordan for Baptism:

• But still, it is customary to quickly dive headlong into the water 3 times, while being baptized and saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
• Traditionally, it is believed that on Epiphany you should bathe in shirts, and not in swimsuits, so as not to flaunt your bodies.

How to bathe at Epiphany so as not to get sick

At Epiphany, both old and young bathe. But without special preparation, swimming for children and the elderly can be dangerous. It is better to prepare in advance, gradually hardening by pouring cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautions must be observed by everyone who decides to bathe at Baptism:

• Doctors warn against bathing at Epiphany for people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, tuberculosis, and other acute chronic diseases.
• Doctors warn that bathing in ice water puts all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation under maximum stress and can cause shock.

If you are healthy, then follow these recommendations:

• You can swim in Epiphany only in the hole, where there is a special entrance to the water;
• Never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
• Alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before bathing; you should not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
• Take a warm blanket with you, as well as comfortable clothes for changing.

Folk signs and beliefs ^

Since ancient times, many folk signs and beliefs have been associated with Baptism:

• It was believed that miracles happen at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsides for a moment, complete silence reigns and the heavens open. At this time, you can express your cherished desire, which will certainly come true.
• If the weather is clear and cold on Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
• A full month for Epiphany - to a big spring flood.
• Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, the harvest for peas and berries.
• There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day for Epiphany - for crop failure.
• The wind will blow from the south to Epiphany - there will be a stormy summer.
• If it snows during the liturgy, especially when going to the water, then next year is expected to be fertile, and the bees will make many swarms.
• When dogs barked a lot at Epiphany, they waited for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot at Epiphany, there will be plenty of every beast and game.
• Chickens are not fed on Epiphany, so that gardens are not dug in the summer and seedlings are not spoiled.

The folk Russian calendar connects the Feast of Epiphany with frosts. Epiphany frosts: “Crack frost, don’t crack, but Vodokreschi passed.”

Divination for Baptism

On January 19, Christmas time ends - the period of fortune-telling in Russia. On Epiphany night, the girls tried to understand what awaits them in the future, whether they will get married, whether the year will be successful.

According to popular beliefs, the eve of Epiphany, the famous "Epiphany evening", is the time of rampant evil spirits. She strives to enter the house as a werewolf - in any guise.

• In order to protect the dwelling from the penetration of evil spirits into the house, they put signs of the cross with chalk on all doors and window frames, which is considered a reliable protection against everything demonic.
• Do not put a cross on the doors on Epiphany Christmas Eve - be in trouble, they thought in the old days.

If you do not protect your home in time and “let in” evil spirits, you can get rid of its pranks as follows. A knot is found in the floor of the house, which does not have to protrude above the floor, but can simply be indicated in the parquet board. With the ring finger of the right hand, they circle the knot with a triangle, then step on it with their left foot and say: “Christ is risen, not you, demon. Amen".

Those who guessed on the night of the New Year, at Christmas time and at Epiphany, bathed or doused themselves with water without fail: in this way they washed away sin, because fortune-telling was always considered a conspiracy with evil spirits.

In Russia, many beliefs about the fate of a person are associated with the feast of the Epiphany.

• Being baptized on January 19th is considered a special fortune. They say that then a person will get a long and happy life.
• It is also considered a good omen if on this day they agree on a future wedding. “Epiphany handshaking is for a happy family,” they said among the people.

Fortune telling - who will come across

Those girls who had not yet waited for their fiancé went out in the evening for Epiphany and called out to their betrothed.

• If a girl comes across a young guy - a good omen,
• If the old man is a bad omen.

Divination in the name

• There was a custom that both boys and girls followed with pleasure: to ask the name of passers-by - for women it is male, for men it is female.
• According to popular belief, this will be the name of the future groom and, accordingly, the bride.

Fortune telling at the church

On a clear moonlit Epiphany evening, the girls went to the doors of the locked church and listened to the silence:

• Some of them fancied either a wedding choir or a funeral service - what the new year promised them.
• The sound of a bell (marriage) and a dull knock (imminent death) had the same symbolism.

throwing shoe

The girls went out of the village and threw a slipper from their left foot in front of them.

• They looked in which direction the toe of the shoe was pointing - from there the groom would come and in that direction the girl would leave her home.
• If the toe of the shoe pointed back to the village, this meant that the girl would not get married this year.

Eastern horoscope for March 2019

According to beliefs, on this day the water in rivers and other bodies of water acquires miraculous power and can even heal. It is not surprising that such a healing bath is becoming more and more popular every year. If this year you decide to plunge into the hole, prepare for this event.

To dive or not to dive?
Each person, before “tuning in” for the first time to diving into an ice hole, asks more than one question: is it possible for me to dive? what is needed for that? won't it harm your health? Is there any way to prepare for this in advance? It is these questions that we will touch upon today, because Baptism is just around the corner, which means we need to “arm ourselves” with the knowledge necessary in this matter.

Everyone who has once doused with cold water or taken such a shower knows the feeling of an incredible surge of strength. Diving into an ice hole gives the same effect, only ten times more. And this is not just a feeling, but a well-founded scientific fact: during stress (and diving into ice water is just stress for the body), the adrenal glands “throw out” anti-stress hormones into the blood in a fairly large amount, unusual for the body. , while activating all systems of the human body and mobilizing its protective functions to the maximum.

It has been proven that people involved in systemic winter swimming are much less likely to get sick and even in old age are quite energetic and cheerful.

Due to the expansion of blood vessels, blood circulation improves and, accordingly, the “delivery” of nutrients to the cells of the body is accelerated, which increases the capabilities of the nervous system, strengthens muscle tone, and there is also a quick “exit” of toxins from the body.

10 Tips for Preparing for Ice Swimming

With proper preparation for immersion in ice water and in the absence of serious contraindications, a person with “average” health can endure a one-time dive without much difficulty.

Of course, it is highly advisable to consult with your general practitioner before this “extreme” procedure and follow the 10 basic rules.

In 2-3 days, start accustoming your body to the cold: take a contrast shower for several days, and then pour cold water over it, but not in the shower, but from a basin or bucket.
3-5 days before diving, minimize the intake of foods containing vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, rose hips, greens. These products stimulate the human immune system quite strongly, and diving into the hole is one of the sharpest “stimulants”, therefore, if you “go too far” with this matter, the opposite effect will go on and immunity will begin to fall. This nuance must be taken into account for several days after diving, as the adrenal glands continue to release potent anti-inflammatory hormones for a couple of days.
Prepare comfortable clothing that is both easy to take on and easy to put on. It is desirable that it does not have buttons (a maximum of easily fastened zipper), laces, so that when you get out of the water you can easily get dressed without having time to freeze. You can also bring a rug with you to stand on while drying off.
Two hours before diving, you need to eat a hearty meal (but not before diving itself), since when diving, the body will begin to use your “fuel” to the maximum for its heating, capturing all the resources of the body.
If you are new to this business, then you should not start diving into an ice hole at a temperature of -10 ° C - this is quite dangerous. It is better to experiment at a temperature of 3 to 5 degrees below zero. If the air temperature drops below -7, you should not plunge headlong.

An ice hole must be chosen properly equipped, with a reliable ladder or with a shallow shore.
Before diving, you need to warm up thoroughly, using squats, waving your arms, jumping - so the body will better tolerate immersion in icy water.
Entering the water should not be too slow and not too fast - try to make the dive as "smooth" as possible.
In no case should you drink alcohol before diving, as it will be more difficult for the body to warm up after that, and rupture of blood vessels is also possible. “After”, if you really want to, then you can take it for warming - take a couple of sips.
After diving, dressed in dry clothes, it is best to warm up with hot tea.
It is not recommended to “overdo it” with swimming in the hole, otherwise the body will start to overcool. The optimal time for being in ice water is 10 seconds. This applies to "non-professionals" in this matter. During this time, you can just have time to plunge according to tradition three times - and this will be quite enough. And your friends or relatives will also have time to take a photo :)

Who can't dive?

Not everyone can be involved in "holy" diving:
due to the increase in the level of sugar by the adrenal glands, such bathing is contraindicated for people suffering from diabetes;
hypertensive patients and people suffering from arrhythmia should also not take part in diving, as a hypertensive crisis, heart attack or stroke can be provoked due to increased pressure;
diving is not recommended for diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system;
“Ice” diving is contraindicated for expectant mothers, as vascular stress can provoke premature contractions.

The choice is yours - and who is ready mentally and physically, all have a nice dive and holy bath. Be healthy!

This is one of the so-called Twelve Orthodox holidays, which from time immemorial has been very revered in our country. It is with Baptism, also called Epiphany, that a lot of very original Russian customs and traditions are associated, a lot of folk signs. However, the same holiday "provokes" our fellow citizens to some wrong actions.

What should not be done on baptismal days?

“Perhaps I will disappoint many of your readers by telling them that you cannot do just those two things that are most famous and popular among the general population. Namely: to swim in the hole and engage in fortune-telling, - Father Vladimir, the priest of the Church of All Saints in Nikolsky, “delighted”. - Well, from the point of view of the Church, everything is quite clear with the second act. These "great-grandmother's" rituals with plates, candles, shoes, supposedly contributing to a future prosperous life, finding a betrothed, successful marriage, in fact, can be regarded as divination, a return to paganism. Instead of all this, an Orthodox person should simply pray to the Lord properly, turning to Him requests for the same well-being, a successful marriage ... And not only on Epiphany Christmas Eve, but also on other days.

As for Epiphany bathing in an ice hole, this tradition arose in Russia a very long time ago, however, in the canons of the church, such dipping on the occasion of the feast of the Epiphany in the waters of rivers and lakes is not mentioned. That is, you can swim, but it is by no means necessary. And in the current situation it turns out that it is even harmful. Not for the human body (although here, too, you can overdo it), but for his soul.

Unfortunately, the modern Epiphany realities are as follows: tens, hundreds of thousands of people celebrate this holiday, limiting themselves only to external, ostentatious action - a valiant immersion in the "Jordan". He came, flopped into the hole and seemed to have washed away all the sins from himself. It would be too primitive! No, my dears, it’s right these days - January 18 and 19, to visit the temple, pray, attend the rite of the Great Blessing of Water and the sprinkling of all parishioners with it, conducted by priests, and besides, keep a strict fast on Christmas Eve, abstaining from fast food and already especially hot drinks...

– But after all, the clergy at Epiphany conduct a special rite of consecration of the ice-holes...

- Quite right. However, this primarily symbolizes purification, blessing by the higher powers of lake and river waters, which people can then scoop up in buckets, jugs and carry to their home...

And then the time has come to remind one more baptismal "it is impossible."

Of course, the water brought home, consecrated by the priest - from the temple, from the hole in the river - can be used in different ways. Someone washes her face, someone reverently drinks (but here, of course, we are talking about water taken in the church), someone sprinkles her dwelling, trees in the garden, someone gives livestock to drink, which helps to strengthen it and increase in offspring ... However, with any method of use, one should not allow Epiphany holy water to be poured into the sewer, into pits with sewage, onto a floor that is obviously polluted, not washed before ...

- And if a person at home decided to wash himself with the brought baptismal water or even douse himself entirely, how to avoid falling drops and streams flowing from the body into the sewer?

- So you stand in the basin and then start pouring yourself. And at the end of the procedure, pour the water accumulated in the basin into flower pots, onto the lawn, onto beds and flower beds in the garden ...

The ethnographer Nikolai Popov spoke about some baptismal prohibitions.

- Of course, Father Vladimir is right when he says that fortune-telling on Christmas Eve is not good from the church point of view, by doing this you "indulge the evil spirits." Our ancestors also understood this, therefore they had a rule for cleansing from such a sin. Those who, observing the tradition, did fortune-telling on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve, should definitely pour blessed water on Epiphany - without fail with prayer. Thus, the sin of divination is washed away.

A few more "taboos" associated with this well-known custom. Although here it is already possible to speak, rather, about popular beliefs, and not about church strictness.

In no case should you sink into the hole, turning your face to the west. You should definitely turn to the east - after all, this is the direction from where the Almighty sends us his grace.

The next portion of "bathing" prohibitions concerns the fairer sex. In general, you can’t plunge into the Epiphany hole for women who have just had critical days. And it is unacceptable for everyone else to dive into the "Jordan" with their heads uncovered or in a frivolous bathing suit. The rules require you to tie your head with a scarf, and put on an undershirt that is at least knee-length, and preferably ankle-length.

As for men, they are categorically ordered to take off their hats before dipping.

It was believed that after a prayer ceremony performed by a priest at an ice hole, the water in a river or lake becomes holy for three days. With this in mind, the housewives in the villages could not wash and rinse clothes during such a three-day period so as not to defile the miracle water with “dirty rags”. There was a belief among the people that those who violate this rule will definitely get sick for a long time after washing their hands. (On the other hand, in the following days and weeks, the Epiphany water stored in the house was actively used by women to whiten linen: when rinsing washed canvas and linen fabrics, they sprinkled them with this consecrated miraculous water. The result of such a seemingly insignificant procedure was almost always very impressive - modern household chemicals resting!)

Separate prohibitions have long been formulated by our ancestors for the most festive Epiphany day. Basically, such restrictions are dictated by folk signs: taking care of their future, people tried to avoid certain actions on Epiphany.

For example, the opinion has taken root that on this twelfth holiday nothing can be done to improve the home and economy. Especially fraught with future troubles is the use (without absolutely extreme necessity) of scissors!

The saddest consequences next year awaited those villagers who, for some reason, locked the door of the house, preventing the priest from entering it (according to tradition, the priest went around all the village houses on Epiphany day and prayed in each and sprinkled the rooms with holy water, cleansing dwelling from dark forces).

It is unacceptable to throw in the trash porridge specially cooked for the arrival of Epiphany wheat porridge - the so-called juicy. Even if for some reason the hostess did not succeed in this dish, it is better to give it to pets or scatter it over a clearing so that the birds peck at it.

It is very bad if in the house where an unmarried young woman lives, before the onset of Epiphany night, the owners did not draw a cross with chalk or charcoal over the front door and windows. According to an old belief, in the event of such impermissible forgetfulness, a dangerous werewolf called the “Fire Serpent” can visit the dwelling. This villain "in the bud" destroys young girls, appearing to them in the form of a handsome man. Young ladies inevitably fall in love with him, and such love - forever, supposedly, enduring - drives the unfortunate people crazy, plunges them into longing for a werewolf pretender, "dries the soul and body, destroys the beauty of a girl." The cross, drawn ahead of time over the door and window openings, securely closes the villain's access to the dwelling where the young representative of the fair sex lives.

The rite of baptism of Christ at his request was performed by John the Baptist. During the baptism in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." According to Christian teachings, it was on this day that God appeared in three persons: God the Father - in the voice, the Son of God - in the flesh, the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove. Therefore, the feast of Baptism is often called the Epiphany. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed the Savior to the world, who took upon himself all the sins of mankind. John Chrysostom wrote about this. And it was from the moment of baptism that Jesus began to preach the word of God and enlighten people.

Until now, the main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water. And the clergy on the feast of Epiphany, according to tradition, dresses in white robes.

How to celebrate the Epiphany

The celebration of the Epiphany (January 19) begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutia. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany, it is necessary keep a strict fast. Also on the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, the Orthodox prepared lean kutya. The festive dinner on Epiphany Christmas Eve was called "hungry kutya". Kutya, pancakes, oatmeal jelly were an obligatory dish of this meal.

Kutya, kolivo, eve - a ritual memorial dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey satiety or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.

An important event of the Baptism of the Lord and Theophany is blessing of water. On a river or on a lake, a cruciform polynya, called the Jordan, is cut in advance in the ice. With the onset of midnight, the priests bless the water in the polynya, and the faithful take a bath in the blessed water. People are not afraid of the cold because bathing at christening- this is a symbolic cleansing from sins, spiritual rebirth. The faithful are looking forward to the Feast of the Epiphany, and when the Baptism of the Lord comes, the Orthodox go to church to remember the miraculous event that changed the world.

How to bathe on Epiphany

For believers, bathing at Baptism means communion with the special grace of the Lord, which he sends to all water on this day. It is also believed that water at Baptism brings health, both bodily and spiritual. At the same time, the church warns against attaching any magical meaning to this tradition.

• Bathing rules for baptism

Ice-holes or Jordans, in which they bathe at Epiphany, are consecrated. There are no hard and fast rules for those wishing to plunge into Jordan for Epiphany. But still, it is customary to quickly dive headlong into the water 3 times, while being baptized and saying: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Traditionally, it is believed that on Epiphany you should bathe in shirts, and not in swimsuits, so as not to flaunt your bodies.

Epiphany water - wonderful healing properties

In all the springs consecrated in the Baptism of the Lord, the water becomes holy and healing. It is believed, and this has many confirmations, that Epiphany holy water has miraculous and healing properties:

• Believers take it with them - Epiphany holy water has the ability not to deteriorate for a long time.
• Epiphany water is drunk throughout the year on an empty stomach, it is carefully kept as a shrine and diseases, both bodily and mental, are treated.
• Holy baptismal water can be sprinkled on a dwelling in order to drive out evil spirits and bring the grace of God into the house.

Where to get baptismal holy water

If you want to collect consecrated baptismal water after bathing, it is not necessary to come with canisters. A small bottle is enough. According to Christian canons, any water can be made holy if you add a little baptismal water to it - from a temple or from Jordan. Festive services will be held in all Orthodox churches on the night of 18 to 19. But it is not necessary to come on this particular day. As explained in the Moscow Patriarchate, the water becomes holy after a special prayer service for the blessing of water. Access to containers with baptismal water will be open in churches for several days. In addition, queues are expected to line up for holy water at Epiphany, and it will be difficult to drive up to the temples. According to the safety rules, on the days of major religious holidays, parking near temples closer than 50 meters is prohibited.

When to collect baptismal water

The rite of the Great Blessing of Water (Great Hagiasma) is performed on Epiphany Eve (January 18) after the Divine Liturgy and on January 19 - on the very day of the Baptism of the Lord. During both days, you can collect baptismal water in any church. Both times the water is consecrated by the same rite, so there is no difference in when to collect water - on Christmas Eve or on the Feast of Epiphany itself.

If you decide to collect baptismal water from the tap and want to know when is the best time to do this. It is better to collect water for Epiphany in the time interval from 00:10 to 01:30 on the night of January 18-19. However, it is possible to collect baptismal water later - until 24:00 on January 19.

What you need to know before collecting water for Baptism:

• it is better to collect baptismal water not thoughtlessly, but after participating in a church service (in church) or prayer (at home);
• you need to pour water for Baptism into dishes without any marking - it is better in a special jug or flask bought in a church shop (in no case in a beer bottle)

It is believed that baptismal water has healing properties. It can be drunk with an illness on an empty stomach and washed to be healthy. You need to drink baptismal holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health. And it is not at all necessary to take it in reserve, there should be a lot not of water, but of faith.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions of celebrating the Epiphany or Epiphany. For example, it was customary to release doves at Epiphany - as a sign of Divine grace that descended on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Baptism are known according to legend.

In Russia, on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell calls for matins, pious believers kindled a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.

The Jordan began to be prepared a week before Epiphany: they cut through the wormwood on the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also sawn out of ice. Christmas tree branches decorated the "royal gates".

On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the consecration of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the holier it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that one cannot catch a cold in the consecrated water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Everyone drank holy water before eating. After eating, the girls hurried to the river - to wash in the "Jordanian water", "so that their faces were pink."

After Baptism, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when the priest plunges the cross into the water, all the evil spirit jumps out of fear, and then sits on the shore and waits for someone with dirty linen to appear. As soon as the linen is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women begin to wash, the more wickedness will freeze from Epiphany frosts.

Divination for Baptism

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happen at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsides for a moment, complete silence reigns and the heavens open. At this time, you can express your cherished desire, which will certainly come true.

There is another tradition at Baptism, which, however, is not approved by the church. On January 19, Christmas time ends - the period of fortune-telling in Russia. On Epiphany night, the girls tried to understand what awaits them in the future, whether they will get married, whether the year will be successful.

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Baptism. Many of them were connected with the economic activities of the peasants or predicted the weather. For example, folk signs for baptism read:

• If the weather is clear and cold on Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
• A full month for Epiphany - to the big spring spill.
• Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, the harvest for peas and berries.
• There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day for Epiphany - for crop failure.
• The wind will blow from the south to Epiphany - it will be a thunderous summer.
• If it snows during the liturgy, especially when going to the water, then next year is expected to be fertile, and the bees will make many swarms.

When to baptism dogs barked a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot at Epiphany, there will be plenty of every beast and game. Chickens are not fed on Epiphany, so that gardens are not dug in the summer and seedlings are not spoiled.

The folk Russian calendar connects the Feast of Epiphany with frosts. Epiphany frosts: “Crack frost, don’t crack, but Vodokreschi passed.

How to bathe on Epiphany so as not to get sick

At Epiphany, both old and young bathe. But without special preparation, swimming for children and the elderly can be dangerous. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening by dousing with cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautions must be observed by everyone who decides to bathe at Baptism. Doctors warn against bathing at Epiphany for people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, or tuberculosis. Bathing at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole brings all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation to maximum stress and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow the following recommendations, how to bathe on baptism:

• you can swim in Epiphany only in the hole, where there is a special entrance to the water;
• never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
• alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before bathing; you should not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
• Take a blanket with you, as well as comfortable clothes for changing.

Epiphany is a holiday with history and rich traditions. But the main thing, of course, is not ritual, but the great meaning that it carries. The Orthodox holiday of the Baptism of the Lord is of great importance for believers, because this is the day when a person’s spiritual renewal takes place.

Where to swim in Moscow for Epiphany

The choice of places for swimming at Epiphany 2018 in Moscow is large. About 59 fonts will be equipped so that everyone can go through the ritual of bathing. They will be equipped in such a way that people can easily undress, rub themselves, take a bath and drink hot tea. If you choose by metro, then this information will help you - here are a number of addresses for swimming in Moscow on Epiphany on January 19, 2018: Vykhino metro station - Beloe Lake recreation area, Putyaevsky ponds cascade - Sokolniki park, Schelkovskaya metro station - Babaevsky pond, Lermontovsky prospekt metro station - Kosinsky park, Kryukovsky forest park, Strogino metro station - Rublevo village park, Konkovo ​​metro station - Teply Stan park, Novogireevo metro station - Raduga ponds, Krylatskoye metro station - Serebryany Bor park, Polezhaevskaya metro station - a park on Filevskiy Boulevard, Novokosino metro station - Meshcherskoe lake, Izmailovskaya metro station - Izmailovo park.

Epiphany bathing will take place from 6 p.m. on January 18 until noon on January 19. Mass exit of people on the ice is not provided. The thickness of the coating currently does not exceed 15 - 20 centimeters. All bathing places are equipped with safe approaches and descents to the water. For a comfortable ceremony, heated locker rooms, toilets and lighting are installed. Bathing participants will be provided with hot drinks and places for heating.

If you choose places for bathing on Epiphany by district, read below:

Where to swim at Epiphany - Central District of the CAO

• a font in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek;

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northern District of SAO

• Big Garden Pond;
• Coastal passage, vl.7;
• Water stadium "Dynamo";

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Eastern District of the North-East

• Palace Pond (1st Ostankinskaya, near house 7).

Where to swim on Epiphany - Eastern District of the East Administrative Okrug

• Babaevsky pond, st. Kurganskaya, d. 5 - 9
• Red pond, Izmailovsky forest park
• Font "Vernissage in Izmailovo", Izmailovskoe sh., 73Zh
• Maisky Pond (former Dog), Sokolniki Park, st. Sokolnichesky Val, 1, building 1
• Lake White, st. B. Kosinskaya, 46
• Lake Holy, st. Oranzhereinaya, 18
• Terletskiye Prudy, Svobodny Ave, 9
• Deer pond;

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Eastern District SEAD

• Upper Kuzminsky pond, st. Kuzminskaya, 10, near the dam
• Lower Lublin pond, st. Shkuleva, ow. 2b, near the station of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
• Shibaevsky pond, st. District, ow. 14, near the rescue station

Where to swim at Epiphany - Southern District of South Administrative District

• Borisovskie Prudy, st. Borisovskie Prudy, 2g
• Upper Tsaritsynsky Pond, st. Dolskaya, 1
• Pond Becket, Zagorodnoye sh., 2

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Western district of SWAO

• Vorontsovsky Pond (Church of the "Life-Giving Trinity in Vorontsovo" St. Ak. Pilyugina, 1)
• Pond of the sanatorium "Uzkoye"
• Troparevsky pond (Recreation area "Troparevo" St. Academician Vinogradova 7)
• Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt (Nakhimovsky Prospect, Building 8 (near the Church of Euphrosyne
  Moscow)
• Chernevsky pond (decorative pond No1) (Church of the Nativity of Christ in Chernevo, Yuzhnobutovskaya street, 62)
• Pond on the territory of the Temple

Where to swim at Epiphany - Western District ZAO

• Meshchersky Pond (Voskresenskaya St., Za)
• Pond in the village of Rublevo / Village of Rublevo, (Botylev St., near 41)
• Moscow River (Filevsky Boulevard, opposite 21)
• Moscow River (B. Filevskaya st., 40a)

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Western district of the North-West

• Baryshikha River (Landscape park st. Baryshikha vl. 4)
• Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (Pond in the village of Rozhdestveno (behind the Church of the Nativity), Mitino district
• Derivative canal (opposite the house at the address: Malaya Embankment st. 3, building 1)
• Khimki Reservoir (Moskva River) st. Svobody d. 56, PKiO "Northern Tushino"
• Stroginskaya floodplain (st. Tvardovsky vl. 16 building 3)
• Kirov floodplain (st. Isakovskogo vl. 2)
• Lake Bezdonnoe (St. Tamanskaya, 91)
• Moscow River (Karamyshevskaya emb., 13-15)
• Moscow river (Aviatsionnaya street, 79)
• Derivative canal (st. Lodochnaya property 19)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Zelenograd

• Black Lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Lesnye Prudy alley, 6th microdistrict
• School lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Panfilovsky avenue, bldg. 1001

Where to swim on Epiphany - Trinity and Novomoskovsky districts

• MUSP Fishing and sports (Troitsk, Desna river in the recreation area "Zarechye").
• Pond in the village Intercession (village Voronovskoye, Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, village Pokrovskoye).
• A pond near the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Church (Krasnopakhorskoye village, Bylovo village).
• Pond p. Filimonkovskoe, village Knutovo.
• Pond p. Shchapovskoye, with. Oznobishino, Church of the Holy Trinity.
• Pond of the village of Voskresenskoye, territory of the recreation center "Voskresenskoye", dam 1.
• Pond settlement Marushkinskoe, village. Big Pig.
• Pond of the settlement of Moskovsky, the settlement of the Ulyanovsk forest park, LLC "Gloria", the temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God "Fadeless Color".
• Pond p. Moskovsky, village Govorovo, pond No. 2, st. Central.
• Pond of the Mosrentgen settlement, the middle pond of the Troitsky Estate cascade.
• River village Rogovskoe, village Vasyunino, 100 m from the Church of the Holy Trinity on the river.
• Font of Vnukovskoye village, pos. DSK "Michurinets", st. Zheleznodorozhnaya, d. 1. Font next to the river. Setun.
• Font of the village of Marushkinskoye, village of Marushkino, park "Rucheyok".
• Kupel p. Klenovskoe, v. Tovarishchevo, r. Liver.
• Font of the village of Desenovskoye, village of Evseevo-Kuvekino.
• Font of the village of Pervomayskoye, village of Puchkovo, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
• The font of the village of Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoye, the village of Shishkin Les, building 43, the Church of the New Martyrs.

16 places in specially protected natural areas of Moscow:

• PIP "Bitsevsky Forest", apt. 7, st. Sanatorium alley, sanatorium "Uzkoe", Fourth Pond in Uzkom (with the participation of the Yasenevo District Administration)
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 9, Shibaevsky pond, Kuzminki district, Zarechie street, property 14
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 33, Nizhny Lyublinsky Pond, Tekstilshchiki district, Shkuleva street, property 2B
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 9, Upper Kuzminskiy pond, Kuzminki district, Kuzminskaya st., 7
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near the street. Tamanskaya, 91
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near the street. Tamanskaya, 91 (opposite shore of the lake)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Kirov floodplain, Isakovsky st., 2-4 (Administration of the Strogino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Tvardovsky st., 16 (Administration of the Strogino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Zhivopisnaya st., 56 (Administration of the Shchukino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Karamyshevskaya emb. 15 (Administration of the Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district)
• PIP "Izmailovo", Terletsky Forest Park, 2/6, Olkhovy Pond
• PIP "Izmailovo", forest park "Izmailovsky", the village of Izmailovskaya apiary, 1, Red pond (Izmailovo district administration)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Zaozernaya, 18, lake Beloe (Government of the Kosino-Ukhtomsky district)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Oranzhereinaya, vl. 24., building 1, Lake Svyatoe
• Landscape reserve "Teply Stan", recreation area "Troparevo" Academician Vinogradova vl. 12, Troparevo recreation area
• Fri Zelenograd, Forest Ponds alley, Black Lake recreation area (Government of the Savelki district)

Map of the placement of fonts for Epiphany bathing in 2018

On the night of January 18-19, the Orthodox world celebrates the feast of the Epiphany. In Moscow, about 60 fonts and ponds are being equipped for swimming. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the addresses of the Epiphany fonts in Moscow in 2018. In order to view the map in detail and find out where you can swim on Epiphany on the night of January 18-19 in Moscow, click on the zoom button in the lower right corner of the map.